Census: Florida eases ahead of New York in population

Joseph Spector, USA TODAY12:54 p.m. EST December 23, 2014


(Photo: Craig Rubadoux, Florida Today)

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York dropped slightly behind Florida as the third most populous state in the nation, according to U.S. Census data released Tuesday.

Florida has been creeping up on New York. Tuesday's figures showed that Florida surpassed the population of the Empire State by 147,070 people. Florida's population was up 1.5 percent, from 19,600,311 to 19,893,297 as July 1. New York's population was up 0.26 percent, from 19,695,680 to 19,746,227.

The states with the largest populations were California with 38.8 million people followed by Texas with 26.9 million people. New York is firmly in fourth place — well ahead of fifth-place Illinois, which has about 12.9 million people.

The Census Bureau said Florida added 803 new residents each day over the past year. Florida's population grew by 293,000 over the period, while New York added 51,000 people.

The Population Reference Bureau earlier this month said that between 2010 and 2013, Florida has gained about 150,000 people a year over New York.

Between 2010 and 2013, New York had the slowest population increase of the nation's four largest states -- California, Texas, New York and Florida. New York's population grew 1.3 percent in the four years, compared with 4.8 percent in Texas.

Population changes has an impact on New York's influence. In 2010, New York lost two congressional seats, from 29 to 27, because other states grew more quickly. It also impacts federal aid. New York's biggest problem has been domestic out-migration.

About 1.2 million people left New York to other states between 2000 and 2009, the Empire Center for New York Policy found.

"The biggest difference is in the people who moved to Florida compared to those moving to New York," said Jan Vink, a researcher at Cornell University in Ithaca.

Perhaps contrary to popular belief, sun-seeking seniors do not appear to be driving Florida's growth.

"Florida is kind of an icon of the 21st century in terms of the shifting population and the growing role Latin America is playing in transforming the country," said James Johnson, a business professor at the University of North Carolina. "I think it's going to be for the 21st century what California or New York was for the 20th century."

Florida encompasses many trends in America: an aging population, a service-oriented economy with many low-wage jobs and an ethnic diversity propelled by Hispanic growth. Like the United States, Florida is a haven for migrants and people making fresh starts, and the state's 29 electoral votes are the nation's most coveted given Florida is the nation's largest swing state.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...tate/20809733/